Green (2021)
Contents
Source Details
| Green (2021) | |
| Title: | Learning to Let Go: Ownership, Rights, Fees, and Permissions of Readers’ Photographs |
| Author(s): | Green, D. |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Citation: | Green, D. (2021). Learning to Let Go: Ownership, Rights, Fees, and Permissions of Readers’ Photographs. Anglia, 139(1), 59-70. |
| Link(s): | Open Access |
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| About the Data | |
| Data Description: | “This survey, a brief six questions with one free text answer, garnered about 160 responses over the period of one month.” |
| Data Type: | Primary data |
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| Cross Country Study?: | No |
| Comparative Study?: | No |
| Literature review?: | No |
| Government or policy study?: | No |
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Abstract
“This article explores the variance in attitudes towards user photography in UK libraries, archives, and museums. It examines the various interpretations of copyright and rights to reproduce images of items in the public domain deployed by cultural heritage institutions, the cost structures for user photography in the reading room, and the historic reasons for these decisions. Finally, this article explores the impact of the multiplicity of regulations on the researcher and the benefits of a clear and open approach to access and to the new research methods being employed by readers.”
Main Results of the Study
The findings suggest that the majority of special collections in Russell Group University Libraries allow photography for research purposes, with only two out of 24 not permitting it. However, two libraries within this group charge a daily fee for using cameras, which amounts to about 8.3% of the surveyed libraries. Additionally, during a month-long survey, approximately 83% of respondents stated that readers can use their own photographs for research purposes only or must seek permission and potentially pay a fee to use the photographs in publications. This means that these libraries claim some rights over images taken by users of their collections. About 17% of the survey respondents had different policies. Some charged no royalty fees but still required permission for publication (about 8%), while others allowed readers to use their photographs freely, as long as there was no copyright infringement (about 9%). The survey also revealed that different libraries have varying fee structures for the rights to publish images of their collections, regardless of whether the user or the institution created the images.
Policy Implications as Stated By Author
The author emphasises the need for libraries and archives to adapt to the digital age and prioritize access to knowledge over restrictions. The author argues that libraries should function as hubs for accessing the world's knowledge in any format, rather than keeping it hidden away. Librarians, curators, and archivists are described as vital connectors between the materials they oversee and the researchers who seek them. The author contends that current policies related to self-service photography and image rights often hinder research and may even conflict with public domain and copyright laws. Instead, the focus should shift towards promoting curiosity, encouraging new research inquiries, and opening collections to a new generation of researchers, whether physically or virtually.
Coverage of Study
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